Dear readers, fellow oddjobbers , sharers of a glimpse of your thoughts about this world, providers of happiness,

This week end  a major event takes place, the Santa Fe Film Festival.

Many events take place  in the cinema field each week. But this one has a particular taste for me. because it’s Santa Fe (3 times in my life I have felt that good in a city, like you belong, ya know? : in London, in Darjeeling and in Santa Fe, I have no explanation).

And parallel to that, I was writing a script for a submission to the London Film Festival. A road movie. the two ideas merged eventually: why not setting the road movie in TX and NM? I mean, the story was already set, constructed, the characters have their back stories,  I already had written a good deal, the city of departure and the city of arrival had just not been chosen. So, why not a trip from Houston to Santa Fe?

A crazy idea cropped up : why not going up there with my car? You know, driving all the way, enjoy the scenery and the fabulous  landscapes, music blasting, in good company, chatting and laughing, sharing anecdotes, enjoying a rapid meal, before entering this wonderfully energetic city for a big event? And getting free, instant, real-life, consistent impressions for the script? Material readily available!

I very much enjoy a good road movie. The unity of time and space, the journeys, both internal and physical, the grandiose scenery, the confinement leading to confrontation before the resolution and the pacification can occur, has always been profoundly appealing to me.

At a party with friends, the subject of Santa Fe and the Film Festival hosted there came up, as they said they’d drive around New Year’ Eve to White Sands. Conversation drifted then to New Mexico. I didn’t remember the date of the festival, since I only took my subscription to WITHOUTABOX last September,  I only knew there is major Festival taking place there, and for instance, that “Brokeback Mountain” was presented there, among others. We all reckoned that Santa Fe has special vibes. It’s a magical city, and some of us agreed that it  had a relevant impact on our mind, or souls.

Parties like that boost one’s (that’s me, yes) energy & will to work harder, and to write more!!!

Anyway.

In November I received an alert via WITHOUTABOX (the interface I use for script submission for various contests) about the SFFF. I twitted about it. Got a RT from a director (thanks). And I thought i’d love to  see that. And I’ll drive. Houston-Santa Fe. I only needed a friend to share the road, the wheel, the fantastic Week End lying ahead, and a pure cinephilic moment. Plus this director presents his movie there. In Santa Fe. And he wished me safe travels to SFFF. (twitter, you do a great job).

Was I looking for another sign  to go there, to stop telling myself it was crazy to even think of going there, 15s hours, etc? There was the sign, bold, unmistakable.

And another thing : the hero in my script (begun 5 weeks previously) bears the same name as this director, only the spelling is slightly different. 

The film festival takes place just before my birthday. Festival is Dec 6-9; my b-day is the 10th.

So, I told myself : “that would be the most perfect and accurate B’day present, to go there, see amazing movies and shorts, feel the powerful energy of creativity bursting everywhere, meet interesting people, in the field I want to work more and more with and for…Big Spirit of the World, clear the path and make it happen!”

Yeah, really. Sometimes you got to manifest what your want, loudly and you must be convinced that it will happen. I was confident. I trusted myself to make the right choices and to be strong-willed.

It boosted my writing, I can tell you! I locate their stops and their venues on the map and with Google satellite photos, I feel I travel along with them.

I checked the feasibility, and bingo! Greenlight at every level.

In the meantime, the friend’s availability had been invalidated. Car trip seriously unmanageable.  So I checked flights, found one, booked a room and a car in Albuquerque. Bought my tix.

And so be it!

While doing so, I wished I could decide someone to join in at the last minute. Like : you go to a party, and  you say  : “I’ll go to Santa Fe tomorrow. – How nice? how lucky you are, I wish I could …- Interested? Join me! -OK!!!!”

Driving up there will be for another time, because, come on, it’s 15 hours’ drive. I’ll do it next time, with a car packed with friends as crazy as me for cinema. As it was also a bit short to organise it “impromptu”, (although I just love last-minute crazy ideas for a weekend).

The room I booked, for the SAME price could be either : one-queen-size bed (with kitchenette, easier for meals, you know) OR TWO king-size beds (with kitchenette).

Guess what I chose?

I was very much in the mood of sharing that moment with a good friend.

And I made that wish again : to go there with someone.

And it was granted. Impromtu. Last minute. Last Sunday, at lunch with wonderful friends.

You know that wonderful and terrifying moment when you say : “I go there, it’s crazy stuff to do, but… I’m doing it…Would you like to join me?”. And there goes the answer : “I’d love too! Let’s grab a ticket and …just.do.it”

You think your dream can come true, so  you set your mind on a particular frequency, your energy vibrates and bam! it happens. I have a sense that I am on the threshold of a new episode in my life, and I dedicate all my forces, my energy, my focus, my resources, my thoughts, to this achievement, this goal, this new path of fulfillment and of a deeper sense of happiness…

Guess what is the theme of this year’s SANTA FE FILM FESTIVAL?

DREAM AWAKE.

It could never have  been more suited.

Discipline your will, harness your dream and live the life you’re meant to live.

Keep your dream alive, but don’t let it slip through your hands, dear reader/writer.

Floreva, sending you positive energy AMAP (as much as possible)

I’ll post on SFFF later .

http://www.santafefilmfestival.com/